If you ever wondered whether pneumonia is contagious, we are here to address your concerns. First of all, pneumonia is inflammation of the lung tissue, caused by a virus, bacteria, or fungus. In pneumonia, the air sacs become filled with pus. What part of the lung is affected and whether it is a single lung or both determines what kind of pneumonia it is – we will explain the types of pneumonia later on.

Pneumonia may be contagious if it is caused by an infectious microbe. But if pneumonia is caused by chemical fumes or other poisons, then it is not contagious.

The different types of pneumonia stem from their cause. For example, there is bacterial pneumonia and viral pneumonia. Pneumonia can also bear a descriptive name, such as community-acquired or hospital-acquired pneumonia. Most of the types of pneumonia are contagious, but not as contagious as the flu, for example.

How long is pneumonia contagious?

If treatment for pneumonia is administered early on, then the time pneumonia is contagious for is shorter. For example, a person with bacterial pneumonia will stop being contagious within two days of taking antibiotics. For other types of pneumonia – like the one that can cause tuberculosis – the treatment may have to be administered for at least two weeks before a person is no longer contagious.

On the other hand, individuals with viral pneumonia are less contagious after symptoms have subsided. The key is to reduce your ability to contaminate others by utilizing proper hygiene and avoiding others as best as possible.

Read more on Is pneumonia contagious?

Also read Zika virus causes vision problems in babies

Thanks for sharing the article.

Its really important for everyone to know How Long Is Pneumonia Contagious? and their symptoms. I had gone through one more article which explains beautifully .
Read more... Is Pneumonia Contagious?